News

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) reminds parents the key to a lifelong, healthy smile is early preventive care. Beginning regular dental visits by the age of 1 year, using fluoridated water and brushing twice a day can help prevent painful cavities from forming in a child’s mouth.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) is recruiting individuals interested in issues related to newborn screening for inherited conditions. The project coordinated through the IDPH Center for Congenital and Inherited Disorders will bring together a diverse and representative group of Iowans for a weekend to help determine future policy for the state’s newborn screening program.

Over the past several weeks, the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has received numerous reports of diarrhea and vomiting outbreaks caused by norovirus. While norovirus activity occurs year-round, it is traditionally higher in the colder months because people are indoors more and in closer contact. Norovirus spreads very easily when people fail to stay home when ill with diarrhea or vomiting, and when they don’t wash their hands after going to the bathroom.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) today launched an online quiz to help older Iowans determine their risk for cognitive decline and what steps to take to reduce that risk. Anyone can take the Save Your Brain quiz online at https://idph.iowa.gov/save-your-brain.

Influenza levels continue to build in Iowa and the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) is confirming an additional eight flu-related deaths. Five of the deaths occurred in Central Iowa and included two female older adults (61 to 80 years of age); two elderly females (81+ years of age); and one elderly male. Two of the deaths occurred in Southwest Iowa (both were elderly females) and one death, an elderly male, occurred in Eastern Iowa. Five of the eight individuals had an underlying health condition.